Present day

Luca was minding his own business. It was almost two in the morning, and he was usually asleep by now, but a huge work deadline was coming up, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out one of the bugs in the program he was trying to run.

He still retreated to his bedroom at 11:30 as usual, as he didn't want his little roommates' routines to be shaken up. He had worked from home today, which meant they would be doing their supply run at night.

Wherever they were, Luca didn't want to turn on his light and spook them back into the walls, so he settled for pulling out his laptop and looking at the project that was giving him so much trouble.

Luca didn't particularly love software engineering. But when he entered college, completely on his own, he knew he wanted a job that paid well and had flexible hours. So, he studied computers.

He didn't have a natural gift for it, but it still went alright. And it more than paid off after graduation, as he got a high-paying job with a hybrid work schedule.

Finally working out some kinks in the system, Luca yawned and closed his laptop. That will be enough to make tomorrow bearable, he thought.

He was just settling back under the warm covers with a sigh when a thin scream came from the kitchen, faintly calling out a single word: "Enzo!"

Luca sat upright with a jolt, heart pounding. Was that Harper? he thought, looking at his bedroom door. What the hell could have happened to make him scream like that? Is he hurt? Is Enzo hurt?

Luca sat there a minute longer, weighing his options. On one hand, he didn't want to go charging out there and startle his roommates. What if they were fine? And then he would have revealed that he knew about them for nothing.

But Harper's little scream told him that things were definitely not fine, and before he knew what he was doing, he was already slipping out of bed, carefully making his way to the kitchen and watching where he stepped.

The apartment was small, and he was there in a heartbeat, snapping on the kitchen light and squinting at the sudden brightness.

Luca stayed in the doorway, not wanting to move before he could locate Harper and Enzo. Hearing a choked gasp from the counter, Luca glanced there first. An impossibly tiny boy knelt there, staring at him in open-mouthed horror.

From his age and the light shade of his hair, Luca immediately knew this was Harper. His eyes scanned the child quickly, and he breathed out a sigh of relief when the boy looked to be unharmed.

But where is Enzo? Luca thought. He wouldn't leave Harper like this.

Harper started trembling under Luca's gaze, and his eyes darted towards the ground.

Luca followed his movement, catching sight of a small, unmoving figure collapsed on the floor below the counter.

His eyes widened, and his blood ran cold. Enzo.

Luca moved swiftly into the room, ignoring Harper's squeak of surprise and the way he scuttled backwards on the counter. All he could see was Enzo, lying crumpled on the ground. No. No, after all these years of surviving, it couldn't have just ended for him like this.

Kneeling beside the still form, Luca was just reaching out to check for a heartbeat when a terrified yell shattered the tense silence.

"Don't touch him!" a little voice screamed.

Startled, Luca looked back to the counter to see Harper standing at the edge, shaking all over and staring at him with huge, glistening eyes.

The little boy immediately clamped his hands over his own mouth, as if horrified to have yelled at Luca.

Not wanting to scare him further, Luca immediately withdrew his hands and held them up, palms out, so that Harper could see them.

"Ok, ok, I won't touch him," he assured the small boy, keeping his voice steady and quiet. "It's alright."

Inside though, Luca felt sick. Is Enzo even alive? he wondered worriedly. What on earth happened?

He scanned the floor and countertop for more clues, taking in the little fishing hook stuck in the cutting board at the top of the counter. A broken string dangled from it, and following it down, he could see the rest of the cord on the ground beside Enzo.

Luca caught his breath. No way, he thought, horrified. Did Enzo fall?

Looking back at Harper, Luca noticed that the boy was still standing there. It looked like he was torn between wanting to flee to safety and wanting to run to his brother, so he had frozen on the counter instead, completely unsure of what to do.

"Hey, I'm sorry I scared you," Luca continued, and Harper's dark eyes snapped to attention to study his face. "I'm not going to hurt either of you. Can you tell me what happened?"

Harper seemed to have used up every last drop of courage by yelling at Luca, and he shrank back in on himself, little shoulders tensing up.

Seeing this, Luca wanted to take him into his hands and comfort him, but since that would have the opposite effect, he tried talking instead.

"Just looking at the hook on the counter and the string on the floor, it looks like he fell while climbing. Is that what happened? How far did he fall?"

The tiny boy suddenly took in a deep, shuddering breath. Luca wasn't expecting him to speak, so he was surprised when Harper actually did.

"I... I don't know what happened," the child said in a quivering voice. "I was just waiting for him on the counter, but then..." he stopped, and his eyes filled with tears. "Then... his rope snapped! But Enzo always checks the ropes! They never break! That... that shouldn't have happened!"

"I don't..." he looked at Luca helplessly. "I don't know what to do. I... what if... what if he's dead?"

The tears he had been holding back welled up and spilled down his little cheeks, and soon, the boy's shoulders were shaking with sobs.

Luca could only sit there helplessly, hands still up and useless. Glancing back down at Enzo, he felt precious time slipping away. Enzo needed help now, but with Harper in such hysterics, Luca didn't dare move.

What can I say to calm him down quickly? Luca wondered, staring at Harper and the way his little chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. What will help him trust me enough to work with me?

An idea came to mind. Harper still thinks of me as a stranger, Luca realized. He doesn't know that I'm a friend. But if I say his name... maybe that will be enough to convince him I'm not going to hurt them.

He immediately tried to dismiss the thought.

I can't do that! Luca reasoned with himself. It will be too hard to explain! It might scare him more to find out that I've known about him all this time.

But Enzo was still motionless on the floor, and Harper was still bawling his eyes out. If Luca was going to do anything, it had to be this.

Looking directly at the boy, Luca took a deep breath. This was it. Once said, it could never be taken back. And he would have a lot of explaining to do.

"Harper," Luca said quietly but clearly. "Look at me, buddy. It's going to be ok."

His words had a magic effect. Harper's tears vanished as quickly as they appeared, and he stared at Luca, tiny mouth hanging open in shock. Luca stared back tensely, wondering what Harper's reaction would be once the initial shock wore off.

"How... how do you know my name?" Harper finally asked, his voice small.

"It's a long story," Luca said. "And I promise to explain everything later. But I've known about you and Enzo for years. I never wanted to hurt you then, and I certainly don't want to hurt you now. I just really, really want to check on Enzo to make sure he's alive. Please, Harper."

Harper was silent for a long time, just staring at Luca as Luca looked back at him pleadingly.

C'mon, please say yes, he thought desperately. I don't want to scare you even more by moving without permission, but Enzo's probably really hurt, and I can't just do nothing.

Luca was just about to ask again when Harper finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Please don't hurt him," he whispered, his voice cracking a little. "Please. He's all I have."

"I won't," Luca was quick to assure him. "I'll be very gentle. I'm just going to place my hand on his chest to make sure his heart's beating and then under his nose to see if he's still breathing. Ok? You can watch me the whole time. That's all I'm going to do. I promise."

Harper nodded mutely, and Luca immediately moved into action. Still kneeling beside Enzo's prone form, he reached out slowly and rested two fingers on the other's chest. To his relief, a steady heartbeat thumped beneath his fingers, and Luca quickly checked to see if Enzo was still breathing.

Finally, he looked back up at Harper's anxious little face, where the boy was waiting for a verdict.

"He's alive," Luca told him, and Harper collapsed onto his knees.

"R...really?" he said tearfully, and Luca nodded.

"Really." He pushed himself to his feet, and Harper watched, shivering, as Luca suddenly towered over his spot on the counter.

Luca pointed at the door, keeping his movements slow. "I'm going to get the first aid kit so that we can treat Enzo's injuries," he told Harper. "Can you come down and see where he's hurt, please? I don't want to accidentally make his injuries worse by checking him over myself."

Harper bit his lip but nodded, already heading to his own intact rope dangling off the counter.

Luca turned to go. After Enzo's accident, he didn't really want Harper climbing, but he figured the boy would freak out if Luca offered him a lift.

He's being surprisingly brave, all things considered, Luca mused as he got the first aid kit from the bathroom. He's, what, seven now? Eight? If I was in his shoes, I wouldn't be handling this nearly as well, even as an adult.

Back in the kitchen, Luca saw that Harper had already made it down to the floor and was kneeling next to Enzo. He looked up at the sound of Luca's footsteps, his tiny face pale but determined.

"I don't think anything's broken," the boy said softly as Luca sat on the floor by him. "His right ankle's sprained and already swollen, so I took his shoe off."

He pointed at Enzo's worn little boot on the floor, and Luca nodded, already opening the first aid kit and removing supplies he thought they might need.

"What else?" he asked.

Harper looked back at his brother. "His wrist is sprained, too, and his right shoulder was dislocated. But I popped it back into place."

Luca paused in his task to stare at the little boy. "You know how to do that?" he asked incredulously.

Harper ducked his head down. "Enzo taught me," he mumbled. "I can set a broken bone and wrap up a sprain, too."

"Oh." Luca blinked. "Well, great," he said, cutting some bandages down to Enzo's size and handing them to Harper. The boy didn't move to take them, so Luca set them on the ground beside him. "Then you can wrap his ankle and wrist, right?"

Harper nodded, finally picking up the bandages with shaking fingers. Luca studied Enzo while his brother worked on him. The older brother was still out cold, and from Harper's assessment, it seemed like he was mostly injured on the right side of his body.

He's probably bruised up pretty badly, too, Luca realized. And he might have hit his head if he's unconscious.

He stared at Enzo openly, not having seen him clearly like this in seven years. Like Harper, he had grown up in that time, now in his early twenties. He looked older than that, however, his face drawn and tired. Just looking at him made Luca want to scoop him up and take care of him.

Luca looked at Harper next. The small boy was determinedly looking away from him, seemingly focused on his task. No longer the chubby toddler from just a few years ago, Harper was now thin and peaky, his features upturned and elvish.

I don't think Harper's strong enough to get Enzo back home on his own, Luca realized. And they shouldn't spend the night on the kitchen floor.

Finally done, Harper sat back and looked up at Luca uneasily. The kitchen clock ticked softly from the wall above them.

"Now what?" Harper asked in a small voice. He still seemed too scared to make eye contact with Luca.

"Can you get him home on your own?" Luca asked, and the little boy immediately shook his head.

"No way," he said. "I can't carry Enzo and climb. I... can't even carry Enzo, period."

"Hmm." Luca looked down at Enzo again. Wherever they lived in the walls, Luca was sure he'd never be able to access it, so it's not like he could offer to carry them there. Besides, it was probably better to keep them nearby, so Harper could get him if there was an emergency.

"Can I suggest something?" Luca suddenly asked, an idea coming to him.

Harper looked wary, but he nodded.

"Why don't you both stay in my room tonight?" Luca offered. "That way, you can stay with Enzo and get me easily if you need something."

Harper looked down at the ground, considering it. His little fingers tapped his thigh in quick, uneasy movements, but eventually, he looked up at Luca.

"Ok," he agreed. "How will we get there? Are you going to carry us?"

"I can," Luca said. "But if you don't want me to touch you, then I can carry you both on something instead."

Harper cocked his head to the side. "How?" he repeated.

Luca scooted away from the brothers and stood up. "Give me a sec," he called down to Harper. "I'll go get something."

Back in his room, Luca quickly set up a quiet place for Harper and Enzo underneath his bedside table. There was a tall open space underneath the table's drawer, so Luca laid out one of his sweatshirts and taped a t-shirt over the opening to give them some semblance of privacy.

Moving to the bathroom next, he adjusted the shower area so Harper and Enzo could use the restroom there if needed.

Ah, but how will Enzo even be able to walk all the way here from the table? he wondered, stumped.

He returned to his bedroom and rifled through his desk drawers, looking for something that might work. Catching sight of a miniature skateboard, he gasped and grabbed it.

Ok, he thought, heartened. Maybe Enzo can sit on this, and Harper can push him?

It wasn't the best idea, but it was the only one he had at 2:30 in the morning, so he placed it next to the bedside table before picking up an old cardboard delivery box and cutting out a single sheet to create a flat platform to move the brothers.

Finally satisfied with all his preparations, Luca returned to the kitchen, where he saw that neither of the brothers had moved from their spots on the floor. Luca had half been expecting to find them gone, so he tried not to show his surprise when Harper turned to look up at him.

"Hey, bud," Luca said softly, laying the cardboard flat on the ground. "Can you pull Enzo up a bit? I'll slide this underneath him."

Harper bit his lip and nodded, standing up unsteadily and gripping under his brother's arms to hoist him up with a grunt.

Luca hurried to slide the cardboard under them, and Harper took a few trembling steps backward until they were both settled onto the cardboard. The little boy collapsed into a seated position on the spot, keeping Enzo's head in his lap.

"Good job, Harper," Luca praised him. "Are you good? Can I lift you guys up?"

Harper's little eyebrows furrowed, and he tightened his hold on Enzo. "I... I guess," he whispered.

"Alright," Luca said. "Yell at me if you want to be put down or if you feel like you're sliding off, ok?"

Harper kept his eyes screwed shut the whole time they were in the air, and Luca noticed the white-knuckled grip he kept on Enzo, his skinny arms squeezing his big brother's shoulders tightly.

Poor little guy, Luca thought. This must be his worst nightmare. I'm sure he's terrified.

Arriving at his bedroom, Luca carefully knelt at the bedside table and pulled the makeshift curtain back. Holding the platform above the sweatshirt, he angled it slightly so Harper could easily slide Enzo off it and onto the fabric.

"You good, little man?" Luca asked. "No injuries?"

Harper gave him a thumbs up and a shaky smile. "I'm good."

Luca smiled back. "Perfect. You get Enzo settled, and I'll go get you something to eat."

Harper's ears perked up at this. "Eat?" he echoed, and Luca nodded, wondering when the last time was the boy had eaten.

"Is there anything that you can't eat?" he asked. "I don't want to give you something that will make you sick."

Harper immediately shook his head. "I can eat anything," he was quick to say.

"Alright, then is there anything you want?"

Harper had an answer ready. "Something hot," he said, and then he immediately looked stricken. "Please," he added quickly.

Luca tried not to laugh. "You got it, bud."

When he got back, Harper was busy tucking his brother in. Luca placed the food and water on the ground near the makeshift curtain, and Harper turned to look at him. The fear from earlier was more or less gone, replaced by a cautious curiosity.

He looked at the food with interest. "Is that for me?" he asked in awed voice, and Luca nodded.

"Yep."

It was just a makeshift burrito, but Harper inhaled it like he'd never had food before. With how fast he was eating, Luca worried that he hadn't given Harper enough, but the boy soon let out a satisfied sigh and settled back into the sweatshirt, looking comfortable.

"Feel better?" Luca asked gently, and Harper nodded.

"How did you know my name?" Harper asked again. "How did you know about me and Enzo?"

Luca sat back. He never expected to share this story with anyone, let alone the people it concerned. How was he going to explain it all? Harper looked at him expectantly, and Luca tried not to sigh. He would have had to tell him anyway.

"Back when I first moved in, I accidentally found you and Enzo under the table by the front door," Luca began. "Enzo was passed out, and you were just a baby, strapped to his back and crying."

Harper's eyes went wide. "You knew about us all the way back then?" he squeaked, and Luca nodded.

"Yeah. I got you some water and crackers and then rocked you to sleep. I... uhh... didn't really know what to do next, so I just placed you next to Enzo and kept checking on you two until you were both gone."

"But... then how did you know my name?" Harper repeated. "And Enzo's?"

"You and Enzo were getting supplies a couple months later," Luca explained. "I was asleep in the living room, but you were being a little noisy and woke me up. That's when I heard Enzo use your name to try to shush you."

Harper was still staring at Luca, looking absolutely dumbfounded.

"And as for learning Enzo's name, I met you a couple years later," Luca continued. "You were... three years old? I think Enzo had left you at home while he went to get supplies, but you had gotten out somehow and were calling for him. That's all. That's actually the last time I saw either of you, but I've heard you a few times over the years."

"Oh man," Harper whispered. "I can't believe it. We thought we were being so sneaky."

Luca shrugged. "At this point, I know what to listen for when you're out and about," he said. "It's not your fault. You did a really good job of staying quiet and keeping yourselves safe."

"Oh." Harper looked embarrassed as he chewed his bottom lip. "I'm sorry we've been taking your stuff," he suddenly whispered. He peeked up at Luca from underneath his white eyelashes. "Are you mad?"

Luca shook his head. "Nah. You guys need it more than me. Besides, all you take are scraps. It's alright. I don't mind sharing what I have with you."

Harper perked up a little at this.

"Really?" he said, his voice more animated now. "Enzo always said you'd be mad if you found us. But you're nice! Was he wrong? Do humans not hate us?"

Luca considered it. "Maybe other humans would be mad," he suggested. "But not me. All humans are different. Some might be nice if they found you, but others definitely wouldn't. Enzo was smart to keep you both hidden, especially since you guys had no way of knowing how I would react to you."

"Oh." Harper looked down again. "But why didn't you let us know you were nice?" the boy asked next.

Luca ran his hand over his hair sheepishly. "I don't know. A lot of reasons, I guess. I didn't want to scare you, for starters. I had absolutely no idea how to start that kind of conversation without terrifying you to death, so I was too nervous to even try."

He sighed and kept going, noticing how Harper was staring at him intently.

"And honestly, I kind of figured that if anything was to happen between us, that you guys should be the ones to initiate it. It felt rude to force you into meeting me when you were putting so much effort into staying hidden, you know?"

He shrugged awkwardly. "I don't know. It's a little silly, huh? I probably should have just talked to you guys." He gestured at Enzo. "Then all this might have been avoided."

Harper shook his little head. "No, I think that was really nice of you," he said. He looked like he was about to say more, but his words were cut off by a big yawn.

Luca smiled at the sight. "It's pretty late, huh?" he said. "We should both get some sleep. But can I show you the bathroom setup in case you need to use it?"

Harper looked confused but nodded, creeping out of the safety of the nest under the bedside table to follow Luca to the bathroom.

Luca walked slowly, but he saw that Harper was practically running to just semi-keep up. He considered offering the kid a lift, but decided against it, entering the bathroom and standing a little bit away from the door to give Harper some space.

"I'll leave the bathroom light on," Luca explained once Harper had caught up and poked his head in. "And keep the door partially open so you can get in and out."

He pointed at the shower next, where he had set up a book ramp from the floor to help little feet climb over the slightly raised lip of the shower.

"I'll leave the shower door open, too, so if you need to use the bathroom, you can go over the shower drain. There's toilet paper, too, if you need it."

Harper nodded at all this, tiny dark eyes sweeping over everything.

Finally, Luca pointed to three small bowls filled with fresh water. "You can wash your hands with that. There's a small soap bar for you, too."

He looked back down at Harper. "Think you can manage all that?"

Harper nodded again.

"Great. Can you explain it to Enzo when he wakes up?"

"Yes," Harper whispered.

"Ok." Luca led Harper back into the bedroom and waited for the boy to climb back into the little sweatshirt bed with Enzo.

"If you need to wake me up, either yell at me from the floor or climb up the bedside table," Luca said before he let the makeshift curtain fall back over the opening. "Don't try to come onto my bed with me. I don't want to accidentally hurt you in my sleep."

"Ok," Harper said, blinking his bright eyes up at Luca. "I can do that."

"Then, do you need anything else?" Luca asked, and the tiny boy shook his head.

"No." He glanced up at Luca shyly. "Thank you, Luca," he said, and Luca smiled back.

"No problem, kiddo. Take care of Enzo, ok? And wake me up if you need anything."

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A/N: Harper's not scared of Luca because Enzo is scarier. 

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